A vibrant scene of Tongli
A night boating tour in Tongli
The creak of wooden oars, waterside dwellings, serene gardens, and elegant gatherings with delightful music… If antiquity is the form, serving as the most radiant backdrop of an ancient town, then culture is the soul, reflecting the town’s unique charm.
Tongli, a “living ancient town” in Suzhou, neighboring Jiangsu Province, not only narrates its vibrant history spanning thousands of years but also mirrors modern people’s emotional attachment to an idealized lifestyle.
The 2025 Tongli Spring Cultural Tourism Festival started at the Tongli National Wetland Park on Friday, featuring an array of activities that promise a laid-back lifestyle.
The night view of Retreat and Reflection Garden
Starting with a rowing boat, the new Jiangnan story flows naturally here. The daytime scenery of the ancient town impresses visitors who have come from afar, while those more familiar with this water town are more enchanted by the charm under the night sky.
The town’s night water tours have set sail. As the rowing boat slowly passes through the Three Bridges, the water shimmers with golden fragments, and the evening breeze carries the noise from both banks, bringing the down-to-earth atmosphere of the water town right to you.
The rowing boat, representing the traditional water town characteristics, slowly rows eastward, while the paddleboard, symbolizing a young and modern style, is heading west along the town’s waterways. Look up, and sightseeing helicopters are taking tourists to overlook the entire Tongli.
Last year, helicopter sightseeing and water paddleboard projects were launched in the town; this year, Tongli Ancient Town will open new tourist routes in alleys and waterways, developing a network of main tourist routes intertwined with characteristic branches.
A bird’s eye view of Tongli
Along with the night tour boats, the Retreat and Reflection Garden’s night tours also started. Through October 31, this Jiangnan classical garden will be adorned with a cloak of light and shadow, inviting tourists to a feast of audio-visual delights spanning a thousand years.
Turning back the historical clock from the Ming (1368-1644) and Qing dynasties (1644-1911), in June, the Songze Cultural Site Park in Tongli will be opened to the public. At that time, the face of the “thousand-year-old ancient town” will be presented to the world, leading people from the “small bridges and flowing water” to the more distant “slash-and-burn cultivation.”
In early May, the Traditional Chinese Medicine Museum in the south of Tongli Town is set to open. This new venue will join forces with the Traditional Chinese Medicine Hall of Tongli Health Center and Chuan Ai Academy to form the Traditional Chinese Medicine Street of the ancient town.
As the strings tinkled from the Shuimo Tongli Theater on the main street of Tongli Ancient Town, the Suzhou pingtan (storytelling and singing in the Suzhou dialect) performance begins. “Listening to pingtan in Tongli” has become a must “check-in” item for many tourists. The theater has selected over 10 singing pieces, including “The Romance of West Chamber,” performed daily by professional pingtan actors.
The night view of Retreat and Reflection Garden
The canola flower field in Beilian Village is in full bloom, with thousands of mu of golden flowers attracting numerous visitors.
In the flower sea, people are able to take photos with art installations like giant straw rabbits and cars, savoring spring romance.
Besides the art setups in the field, there are nearly 30 handicraft stalls, featuring local delicacies and handmade creatives. Tourists can enjoy the flowers and feast on local foods.
The flavor of Tongli is hidden in the pavilions and towers of Retreat and Reflection Garden, in the lingering charm of the Shuimo Tongli Theater, and also in the ripples of the crisscrossing rivers and lakes.
A charming landscape of Tongli
Water is the soul of Tongli. Tongli Ancient Town is encircled by five lakes, and it boasts 49 stone bridges, built in various dynasties and with diverse styles, which are still well-preserved.
The Three Bridges of Taiping, Jili, and Changqing, built during the Ming and Qing Dynasties, are treasures among Tongli’s bridges.
During weddings and celebrations, there is a custom in Tongli of walking across the Three Bridges for good fortune. If your visit coincides with a local celebration, you must join in the festivities.
A tranquil scene in the Retreat and Reflection Garden
How to get there: It takes within two hours by driving from Shanghai to Tongli via Huchang Highway.
You can take high-speed railway and get off in Suzhou Station. It takes within half an hour by rail.